Learn to Hunt Deer in Pennsylvania Online Resources for Aspiring Hunters
Welcome to HuntDeerPA.com – your one-stop shop for learning to hunt in Pennsylvania.
Deer Hunting 101 Online Course
Learn from Professional Hunting Educators
This course was developed by the National Deer Association (NDA) and is powered by the leading provider of online hunter safety courses in North America. This is the most comprehensive and most popular deer hunting course available anywhere.
Comprehensive Instruction
Learn about deer behavior, what gear to buy, where to go, hunting strategies, and much more. You’ll have everything you need to get started.
The Fastest, Easiest Way to Learn
Videos and photos are included throughout the course to make information easy to learn and retain. Self-paced learning that works on any device. Get started today.
Field to Fork
The National Deer Association’s Field to Fork programs are hands-on learning opportunities for adults from non-hunting backgrounds. Field to Fork invites adults outside of the traditional hunting culture to learn every aspect of hunting and sourcing their own protein.
During the course of an event, participants receive lessons on deer biology and behavior, safety, shot placement, and processing their deer after harvest. They get time on the shooting range with crossbows or rifles and then go hunting with a mentor. All gear is provided.
This year, in partnership with private landowners, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, we will hold a minimum of 9 events covering all 4 corners of the state. Past events have ranged in size from 3 to 50 participants.
Space in these programs is limited. If you are a resident of the Philadelphia area and would like to apply for the program at either John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge or Benjamin Rush State Park, you may enter the lottery here from August 1-31. For all other events, please join the waitlist, and you will be notified if there is an opening.
Want to start learning today? Take our Deer Hunting 101 Online Course.
Hunting in Pennsylvania
Learn about some of Pennsylvania’s basic hunting regulations and opportunities. For a complete guide to the regulations, see the Hunting and Trapping Digest.
Get Licensed and Get Ready
FAQs
If you have further questions after reading these, feel free to send us a message.
Deer Hunting 101
Successful completion of the HTE course is legally required to get your hunting license in Pennsylvania. The emphasis of that course is on safety. However, if you want to learn how to hunt, sign up for Deer Hunting 101.
The course can be completed in one sitting or a little at a time over several days. Log in and out at any time, and your progress will be saved.
Once you purchase the course, you'll have access for life. There is no time limit to complete the course.
Yes. While hunting is a lifelong learning experience, this course covers everything you need to know to get started. Just purchase some basic gear, and you'll be ready to get out in the field.
Field to Fork
The process varies depending on how the landowner would like to handle applications. If you are a resident of the Philadelphia area and would like to apply for the program at either John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge or Benjamin Rush State Park, you may enter the lottery here from August 1-31. For all other events, please join the waitlist, and you will be notified if there is an opening.
Field to Fork programs are held on private land, in state parks, on national wildlife refuges, and any other piece of land with a willing and able host. In Pennsylvania, we’ve held events in all regions of the state, with more events running each year.
Field to Fork events are always free, and all the necessary hunting gear is provided – blinds, chairs, tripods, crossbows, bolts, broadheads, etc. The only thing you need to bring is yourself, some camo or dark clothing, and of course a cooler!
Field to Fork events have been held in 19 states so far. Contact elizabeth@deerassociation.com and fill out the new hunter survey here.
Anyone can host a Field to Fork event, provided they own or manage a suitable piece of land. Multiple pieces of land can also be used in conjunction. Preferred properties are those that give new hunters exclusive access during the time of the event, hold plenty of deer, and give hunters safe distance from each other. Having a group of mentors in mind will also go a long way to getting a new event off the ground. If this sounds like you, contact elizabeth@deerassociation.com to get a conversation started.
Pennsylvania Regulations
With a resident adult hunting license, you will receive one antlered deer tag, one fall turkey tag, one spring turkey tag, and small game hunting privileges for one license year. Antlerless deer tags (limit of 6 unfilled licenses at a time) as well as black bear, migratory game birds, elk, and furbearers are separate purchases.
For hunters ages 7 and over, the permit (like the general license) includes one antlered deer, one fall turkey, and one spring turkey harvest tag in addition to small game hunting privileges. Antlerless deer tags (limit of 1) as well as black bear, migratory game birds, elk, and furbearers are additional purchases. Mentored hunters, like licensed hunters, are also able to purchase as many DMAP harvest permits (for antlerless deer) as are allowed within the limitations of that program.
The license year runs from July 1st to June 30th of each year, but license sales begin in June.
Contact Us
National Deer Association
Elizabeth Kligge
Pennsylvania Field to Fork Coordinator
elizabeth@deerassociation.com